By now everyone knows the old adage that winning a new customer cost like five times (I forget the multiplier, but it’s significant) more than keeping an existing one but apparently the folks over at Comcast missed that less. Last month, my initial “promotional offer” with Comcast expired which consisted of high speed internet and cable (plus premium channels I never watched) for $70-ish per month and the price skyrocketed to an unreasonable $130 a month. As usual, we did the annual “call Comcast and demand realistic rates” ritual and the accompanying dance of threatening to cancel. Well, after a couple of those, we were told to talk to Michele Smith, a retentions manager of some sort. I’m pretty convinced that these titles are all bullshit anyway and that they make them up (it’s not like there’s an organizational chart out there to prove someone is more than another random CSR). Anyway, we couldn’t reach Michele and we called one more time to the regular Comcast number and were escalated Melissa, apparently Michele’s peer. So, Melissa told me they could drop the price to $100 and that we’d have to pay that for six months before getting our original deal… which we thought was bullshit too. So, we threatened to cancel and they said sure.

For those of you who think $100 for internet and television is not that bad, especially compared to the $70 I was paying before, I just see $30 a month as another $360 of my money that I can’t spend on something else. Plus… read on to see why I’m willing to get “paid” $360 + $250 to re-enlist.

So, they lost my fiancée as a customer, we still have the cable active and I’m using wireless from my neighbors (they don’t mind) and so when the cable actually goes out, I’ll just sign up via ComcastSpecial.com where I’ll get a fatty $100 rebate check, a free modem, a free wireless router, and the $20 internet promo rate for six months. That’s just for the internet, for signing up for the digital cable again, I’ll get a nice $75 bill credit as well.

So, instead of giving me $70 per month (a difference of $30 from the offer they were willing to give us), we will be pocketing $175, a $50 modem, and probably a $25 wireless router – a total of $250 in free stuff. $30 per month to keep me or $250 to win me back (plus I get the promotional rates), seems like a pretty easy decision – just not for the fools at Comcast.

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32 Responses to “How Comcast Will Regain Me As A Customer for $250”

Just thought that I would let you know, that I used to play the call and ask for a lower rate or I will cancel and it worked for a long time. Then I just got tired of calling and just payed the full amount. We only have the internet through Comcast as my husband refuses to pay for their tv. Finally, I decided I would go with Verizon, thus why I am responding. I finally cancelled my comcast and the verizon is great in the sense that I can take it to go. I do have the mifi which is like for 5 computers, so I thought cool! We do not have any verizon that can actually be hooked up at our house, just the mobile type. So anyway, loving taking it to go. However, I HATE HOW SLOWWWWW it is and I more than HATE that I can’t hardly watch a video because of the bandwitdth or something…. It sucks!!!! And my husband is actually annoyed and would rather have the comcast as would I, except the price and now I have a 2 yr contract with Verizon.

You all realize that cable and internet are a luxury and not a necessity.

I hope you are all intelligent enough to also realize that Comcast and satellite companies have to pay so much money a month to each broadcast company like ESPN, Lifetime, etc and the dollar amount is based on how many active customers they have.

Perhaps you should all pick up an antenna at your local Radio Shack and watch cable for free. If you want more than what an antenna pulls in then you have to pay for ENTERTAINMENT.

Internet is another luxury item. No one tells you that the only way to pay your bills is online.

You all sound like a bunch of fat couch potatoes.

It is disgusting to think that a vast majority of society is so ignorant in their thinking. It’s all about them and everyone else is taking advantage of them…yeah right.

If I worked at a cable or satellite company and got your call I would tell you the same. It is a luxury not a necessity.

Now let’s talk about the prices of gas and food which are a necessity.

P.S. How hard is it too look up Comcast or Direct TV websites…you need a pay per click link in order to do your own research…. Lazy consumers… I bet you never research a company before you decide to become a customer either. You deserve nothing and expect everything.

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